1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the art of beverage processing, and more particularly to processing beverages in the dairy industry. Processing involves standardizing or mixing various grades of milk (e.g., skim, 1%, 2%, 3.25% and others) and filling them, as well as other beverages such as juices, fruit drinks, chocolate milk, into suitable packaging or containers for sale to consumers. The containers are filled with milk and beverages in a sequence dictated by customer orders and distribution routes.
2. Discussion of the Art
Today's dairy industry has made strides in improving the efficiency of processing and filling operations. The focus of these improvements has been in processing and filling speeds, in the handling and storage of large volumes of specific products and in the order picking and loading processes associated with customer requirement fulfillment.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,779 describes a filling system that utilizes large storage tanks (bowls) which provide a constant head pressure for servo pumps and valves to control the amount or volume placed in containers. Co-axial fill nozzles permit filling and mixing or standardizing of milk (e.g., the mixing together of varying ratios of skim and 3.25% milk to produce the intervening grades) from a single orifice. However, these filling features limit the ability for flexibility in the filling operation. While these prior art filling systems are capable of filling multiple sizes very effectively, they are very complex in terms of operation, cleaning, and maintenance. Furthermore, they standardize and fill volumetrically, and this does not permit rapid changes in filling from one milk type (e.g., 2%) to another milk type (e.g., 1%). The inability to have instant changeover limits the flexibility of the filling operation in a manner that will not permit a process output specifically in line with a customer order. If a customer orders just one unit of a particular grade of milk, existing systems will not allow for the building of orders to the accuracy of such one unit per shipping order. Volumetric filling is still further limited with respect to the smaller size packages such as the thirty-two (32) ounce sizes and under.
The storage, loading and order selection systems have tapped the automated storage and retrieval and the distribution center technologies to improve the manual processes used decades ago.
Examination of the dairy products processing, manufacturing and distribution business (excluding hard cheese) in the United States finds a focus on the white milk segments. Approximately fifty to sixty percent of the product these businesses ship is, by volume, white milk. To a very great extent, this will include white milk with varying milk fat contents of 3.25%, 2%, 1%, 1/2% and skim (non-fat).
The general process which these businesses follow starts with the receipt of raw milk which is temporarily stored in large tanks prior to processing. Storage in these vessels is limited by law to a maximum time of 72 hours. This milk is then processed into a variety of other products of which the white milk category is the largest segment. In virtually all instances, the next processing step is one of several heat treatment processes defined by the Food and Drug Administration and the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance. Examples of these processes are noted as follows:
a) High temperature Short Time Pasteurization--processing at a minimum of 161.degree. F. for a minimum of 15 seconds (typically refrigerated code life of 10 to 25 days). PA1 b) UHT (Ultra High Temperature) processing for extended shelf life--processing at a minimum of 280.degree. F. for a minimum of 2 seconds for a refrigerated life of 45-60 days. PA1 c) UHT Processing and Aseptic Packaging--processing at a minimum of 284.degree. F. for a minimum of 4 seconds for a non-refrigerated life of approximately 180 days.
It is also understood that combinations of UHT processing, standard HTST (High Temperature Short Time) pasteurization and separation and filtration technologies are becoming additional desirable alternatives to strictly high temperatures to achieve longer code life in both refrigerated and non-refrigerated products. In this instance, the undesirable microorganisms are physically removed from the various skim milk portions while the high fat portion is UHT processed. After recombination, a long life product is achieved without the negative effect of standard UHT processing. Generally included in each of the pasteurization processes is a standardization process. This process includes the conversion of raw milk at a varying fat test over 3.25% to a fat test for the specific type of milk desired (i.e., 2%, 1%, etc.).
Each type of milk is then processed as a batch and stored in large holding tanks for packaging. These tanks and the processing systems typically are run in the batch mode for long periods of time, limited only by the regulatory agency requirements of cleaning and sanitizing at least once following a 24-hour processing day.
The filling process also occurs with a batch orientation. Generally speaking, the systems are arranged and operated such that individual fillers will draw a particular type of milk from one of the pasteurized storage vessels for a significant period of time. During this time, the filler will run estimated amounts for certain types of customers. In other instances, when an order is provided, exact amounts may be packaged.
In either case, the filler is packaging one product and one label at a time. When a different product is required to pass through the filling process, the system must be evacuated to prevent mixing of products. This results in down time, lost products, and lost packaging, etc.
In addition to product changes, the process requires label changes based on the needs of a specific customer. For example, a dairy may have 2% milk with its own brand and it also may have many other private labels identifying specific customer brands. This implies additional changes, manual intervention on processes and inefficiency.
The process of filling batches, attempting to run long batches to avoid excessive product and label changes, and the variability of customer requirements ultimately leads to substantial storage and finished inventory requirements. These inefficiencies have generally led the way for many of the current improvements such as using large automated storage systems to handle long continuous runs, large batches and large inventory requirements.
Looking at these current businesses from an order fulfillment perspective, it is clear that a variety of categories of requirements exist. Certain businesses have "captive customers" and can "dictate" an order fulfillment process that they currently consider optimal. This may include restrictions on order amounts, carrying inventory at store level, etc. Other businesses have customers who demand flexibility but provide little or no advanced information. These systems require the business to maintain inventory for the customers to assure an available supply as well as maintain a reasonable level of manufacturing efficiency. Despite the attempts at "just in time", none of the current systems have managed to eliminate large and complex material handling systems to handle the processed finished inventories or the inadequacies of the order fulfillment process.
The order fulfillment process includes distribution systems of substantial magnitude and cost. This aspect of current businesses also places demands on the manufacturing and storage processes. It is the optimization of the entire process that has further led to the notion of large buffer storage and ready availability through storage. In virtually all instances, large capital intensive storage facilities and material handling systems have been the apparent solution to the optimization of processing, packaging, order selection, and distribution systems.
The past improvements to or developments for industry problems have focused on individual elements of the order fulfillment process. Instances are available to demonstrate bigger and faster filling machines to reduce the labor cost of packaging. Instances can be shown where expenditures have been made to improve the interface between high-speed manufacturing and complex delivery systems to certain customers. It is apparent that current processing and improvements have not addressed the order fulfillment process as a comprehensive, continuous process. It would be desirable to develop a beverage processing and filling system that effectively meets the requirements of the entire order fulfillment process. This demands a system that eliminates the need for long batch type filling, large inventory requirements, and complex capital intensive material handling systems for milk and other beverages.
It would be further desirable to develop a system that would allow for filling milk and other beverages based on a truck loading and delivery schedule. In order to eliminate or significantly reduce the need for storage, the filling sequence would fill various grades and volumes of milk, along with other beverages, and place them on pallets for delivery routing according to the requested order, i.e., products will be produced and made to order at the proper time, speed, and in the exact quantities requirement by distribution for load out.